Willamette Valley Great Dane Club

Posts by WVGDC Webmaster

Pano is a growth issue as a result of too rapid growth during puppyhood. It causes lameness and a lack of energy. Pano usually is self-limiting, meaning it ends up spontaneously resolving, but the condition is quite painful and pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs may be needed. These are painful conditions of the bones that occur during the rapid growth phase of puppyhood causing lameness and general malaise.

Bloat is the number 1 killer of Great Danes. It is unfortunately common in deep-chested breeds. During Bloat the stomach distends and then has a tendency to twist which cuts off the blood supply to various parts of the body. This is an extremely painful condition and very quickly life threatening. If you suspect your…

Fortunately cataracts are not common in Great Danes and they can be tested for. A CERF exam is one of the 4 health tests recommended by the Great Dane Cub of America, before a dog or bitch is used for breeding. Cataracts over time will eventually cause blindness.

Hypothyroidism is a condition resulting in not enough production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Symptoms are weight gain, inactivity and dull hair with excessive shedding. The condition most often occurs in dogs 4-10 years old and in medium to large breeds. Hypothyroidism is diagnosed through blood work and is treatable! The disease in an inheritable disorder of the immune system and so testing for it is one of the four health tests recommended by the Great Dane Club of America.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the walls of the heart thin and the heart becomes enlarged. Over time the condition worsens and causes progressive loss of heart function, often showing no obvious signs for several years. DCM is one of the leading causes of death in Great Danes.

DCM can be diagnosed by ultrasound and ECG and because it has been shown to have a genetic component, that there is a familial tendency, a genetic predisposition, testing for DCM is one of the four recommended health tests for Great Danes. This health test should be performed every 2 years and results should be kept current if the dog is used for breeding.

In dogs, hip dysplasia is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that can eventually cause crippling lameness and arthritis in your dog’s joints. It is awful in all dogs and especially distressing in Giant Breed dogs.

There are several factors that lead to the devoopment of hip dysplasia in dogs, beginning with genetics, that is why evaluation of the parent’s hips is one of the 4 health tests recommended by the Great Dane Club of America. Genetic predisposition can be exacerbated by some environmentl factors, such as a dog’s weight and nutrition, rapid excessive growth and exercise.

Every year the National Great Dane organization has a huge Great Dane dog show, called the GDCA National. This year it is in Kansas. It moves across the country in a 6 area (usually the same cities) rotation. Great Danes from across the country come to the National. They have educational seminars about health, breeding,…

Our Great Dane Specialty will be here before you know it! All the WVGDC Specialty elves here are working hard behind the scenes to make sure everything is just perfect for our Friends and Exhibitors. We will be very grateful for donations to our Trophy Fund. To make a donation you can click here. We…

I can’t believe how cool this blanket and beaver are. I don’t know which one I want more, but the combo is irresistible!!! I wish I had 1/10 of the creativity of other people. I know a few people who would love this blanket and beaver combo 🙂